Jaya memorial takes shape

Chennai: Work on the memorial of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has started and is going on in full swing at the Marina here.

According to sources, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam have directed officials to complete the work and get the Rs 50-crore complex ready at the earliest.

"The two leaders want the memorial to be thrown open to the public soon. It will house a museum highlighting the life and achievements of Jayalalithaa. Palaniswami and Panneerselvam want the complex to be a fitting tribute to 'Amma' to keep her memories alive," sources said.

The memorial will come up on the Marina beachfront, behind the memorial of AIADMK founder and former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam recently laid the foundation stone for the memorial here abutting her burial site on the Marina beachfront.

Palaniswami placed the first brick for the construction on the ground, and Panneerselvam the second, marking the formal inauguration of work for the memorial at the beach complex.

A yagna and special prayers were conducted ahead of the stone-laying event in which Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, Tamilnadu Ministers, MPs and MLAs participated along with the Chief Minister and his deputy. A large number of AIADMK workers took part in the event.